As temperatures rise and we begin to wilt from the heat, many plants rise to the occasion and burst into bloom! Many of these summer stalwarts have spent the cooler, wetter months developing root systems or taproots that delve well below the hot, dry surface soil. Pollinators depend on finding pollen and nectar sources through the entire summer, so it’s important to include mid and late-summer bloomers in your garden.
Picture above: Rudbeckia hirta ‘Rustic Colors’ (Native Black eyed Susan selection).
HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL PLANTING IN HOT, DRY JULY:
Use a mycorrhizal inoculant to help plant roots quickly form a symbiotic relationship with beneficial fungal networks that bring water and nutrients to the plant in exchange for sugars generated by the plant’s photosynthesizing.
Plant in the evening, after sundown. This will give the new plant about 10 hours to begin acclimating without the stress of high temperatures.
Remove flowers and spent flowers to redirect the plant’s energy to its roots.
Dig your planting hole, then water the hole and wait for all the water to be absorbed before placing the new plant in the hole.
Our potting mixes are designed to make the transition from pot to garden as seamless as possible. But especially when planting specimens not grown in Harlequin’s Gardens’ potting soil, you may choose to try partially ‘bare-rooting’ your plant just prior to planting. If you’ve never tried this before, we recommend allowing the soil in the pot to dry out about half-way, then gently removing the pot. Working over a potting tray or tarp, gently shake or tap the root mass to dislodge whatever potting soil will readily come away from the roots. Do not try to pull the soil off the roots – this will tear them. If there is a mass of encircling roots at the bottom, you can carefully tease them apart.
Plant removed from pot
Potting soil partially shaken off
You should end up with a root mass that is longer than the depth of the pot it grew in. Apply a solution of mycorrhizal inoculant to the root mass, and plant in a hole deep enough to accommodate the elongated roots. Backfill gradually with appropriately amended garden soil, gently pressing the backfill soil against the roots to prevent air pockets. Water the plant thoroughly, using a watering wand or can that deliver a gentle spray.
Mulch new plantings with 2” or more of organic mulch or squeegee (fine gravel).
If you are planting in a sunny area, you can help new summer plantings to acclimate by erecting a temporary shade tent or screen to use for a week or two.
Stressed new planting
Shade protection for stressed new planting
If there are rocks in your garden, plant close to a rock and direct the roots to grow against and underneath the buried portion of the rock. This way, the roots will stay cooler, and they will take advantage of the moisture that condenses on the rock surface.
If temperatures are consistently 85F or higher in the daytime, continue to water your new plant thoroughly every day for a week, then taper off to every other day for a week, then weekly for the remainder of the season.
WHAT’S BLOOMING IN JULY?
Despite the heat, July blooms are glorious! At Harlequin’s Gardens we’re often asked to help identify July blooming plants and to provide suggestions for summer blooms. With that in mind, we’ve put together a thorough list of What’s Blooming in July. See what will inspire you!
Ipomopsis rubra (Scarlet Gilia)
Acanthus balcanicus, A. spinosus (Bear’s Breech)
Achillea (Yarrow)
Aconitum (Monkshood)
Agastache aurantiaca ‘Coronado’
Agastache aurantiaca ‘Coronado Red’
Agastache ‘Black Adder’
Agastache ‘Blue Blazes’
Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’
Agastache barberi ‘Tutti Frutti’
Agastache cana, A. cana ‘Sonoran Sunset’
Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop)
Alcea (Hollyhock)
Allium cernuum (Nodding Onion)
Allium flavum
Allium senescens
Coryphantha scheerii cactus
Allium ‘Millenium’
Allium sphaerocephalon (Drumstick Onion)
Amorpha canescens (Leadplant)
Amorpha nana (Dwarf Leadplant)
Anemone tomentosa (Grapeleaf Anemone)
Annuals – lots of ‘em!
Aquilegia chrysantha (Denver Gold Columbine)
Argemone polyanthemos (Prickly Poppy)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed)
Asclepias incarnata (Rose Milkweed)
Asclepias speciosa (Showy Milkweed)
Berlandiera (Chocolate Flower)
Betonica foliosa (Betony)
Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Bush)
SteppeSuns® Sunset Glow Penstemon. Photo Credit: Plant Select
Campsis radicans (Trumpet Vine)
Callirhoe involucrata (Wine Cups)
Calylophus hartwegii v Fendleri (Fendler’s Sundrops)
Calylophus serrulatus
Campanula, many species (Bellflower)
Caryopteris ‘First Choice’ (early Blue Mist Spirea)
Catananche caerulea (Cupid’s Dart)
Chamaebatieria millifolia (Fernbush)
Chilopsis linearis (Desert Willow)
Clematis ‘Betty Corning’
Clematis x ‘Durandii’
Clematis ‘Etoile Violette’
Clematis fruticosa ‘Mongolian Gold’
Clematis fruticosa ‘Mongolian Gold’ shrub clematis
Clematis integrifolia (Bush Clematis)
Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’
Clematis ‘Rhapsody’
Clematis ‘The President’
Clematis ‘Ville de Lyon’
Clematis ‘Warsaw Nike’
Clematis x texensis ‘Princess Diana’
Coreopsis – many species & cultivars
Cylindropuntia imbricata (Tree Cholla, Cane Cactus)
Dalea purpurea (Purple Prairie Clover)
Datura meteloides, wrightii, metel (Angel’s Trumpet)
Delosperma (Hardy Ice Plant), many selections
Delphinium grandiflora, many selections
Delphinium hybrids
Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Firewitch’
Dianthus (many species)
Dianthus petraeus noeanus (Jasmine Dianthus)
Dianthus sp. Tuscan Honeymoon
Diascia i. Coral Canyon (Coral Canyon Twinspur)
Echinacea, many species & cultivars (Coneflower)
Erysimum wheeleri (Wheeler’s Wallflower)
Fallopia aubertii (Silver Lace Vine)
Gaillardia (Blanket flower, Firewheel)
Gaura lindheimeri (Whirling Butterflies)
Gentiana septemfida lagedochiana
Geranium dalmaticum (Dalmation Cranesbill)
Geranium ‘Rozanne’
Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill)
Geranium x cantabrigiense, many selections
Hesperaloe parviflora (Texas Red Yucca)
Helianthemum (Sunrose) many selections
Hemerocallis (Daylilies) many selections
Hesperaloe (Red Yucca)
Heterotheca jonesii x villosa ‘Gold Hill’ Golden Aster
Heterotheca villosa (Hairy Golden Aster)
Heuchera (Coral Bells) many selections
Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)
Hydrangea arborescens selections
Hydrangea paniculata
Hydrangea petiolaris (Climbing Hydrangea)
Hypericum frondosum ‘Sunburst’
Hymenoxys (Tetraneuris) (Perky Sue), several species
Ipomopsis aggregata (Skyrocket)
Ipomopsis rubra (Standing Cypress)
Knautia macedonica
Kniphofia (Red-hot Poker)
Koelreuteria paniculata (Golden Rain Tree)
Lallemantia canescens
Larkspur
Lavender, English
Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grosso’
Leucanthemum (Shasta Daisy), many selections
Liatris ligulistylis (Rocky Mtn Gayfeather)
Liatris spicata, L. ligulistylis (Gayfeather)
Lilium henryi
Lilium regale (Regal Lily)
Lily, Trumpet
Lonicera, several species & cultivars (Honeysuckle Vines)
Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion)
Lychnis chalcedonica (Maltese Cross)
Lysimachia numm. (Creeping Jenny, Moneywort)
Malva moschuta alba
Malva sylv. Mauritiana (Magic Hollyhock)
Melampodium leucanthum, (Blackfoot Daisy)
Michauxia tchehatchewii or campanulata(Catherine Wheel)
Mirabilis multiflora (Desert Four O’clock)
Monarda (Bee Balm), several species & cultivars
Monardella macrantha ‘Marian Sampson’
Nepeta siberica (Siberian Catmint)
Oenothera berlandieri ‘Siskyou’ (Pink Evening Primrose)
Oenothera berlandieri ‘Siskyou’ Pink Evening Primrose
Oenothera fremontii ‘Shimmer’
Oenothera macro. (Missouri Evening Primrose)
Origanum sp., many species & selections (Ornamental Oregano)
Papaver somniferum selections (Lauren’s Grape, etc.)
Patrinia scabiosifolia
Penstemon barbatus Coccineus (Scarlet Bugler)
Penstemon pinifolius (Pineleaf Penstemon)
Penstemon pinifolius ‘Mersea Yellow)
Penstemon pinifolius ‘Sunset Glow’
Pemstemon pinifolius (Pineleaf Penstemon)
Penstemon richardsonii
Penstemon rostriflorus (Bridge’s Penstemon)
Penstemon x Mexicali ‘Carolyn’s Hope’
Penstemon x mexicali ‘Pike’s Peak Purple’
Penstemon x mexicali ‘Red Rocks’
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)
Platycodon grandiflora (Balloon Flower)
Platycodon grandiflora cultivars (Balloon flower)
Potentilla fruticosa (Shrubby Cinquefoil)
Psilostrophe tagetina (Paper Flower)
Pteracephalus depressus (Creeping Pincushion Flower)
Pycnanthemum pilosum (Hairy Mountain Mint)
Ratibida columnifera (Mexican Hat)
Roses, many re-blooming cultivars
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan) species & cultivars
Ruellia humilis (Wild Petunia)
Salvia chrysophylla (Olympus Gold Leaf Sage)
Salvia darcyi (Mexican Scarlet Sage)
Salvia x ‘Windwalker Royal Red’
Salvia greggii ‘Furman’s Red’
Salvia greggii ‘Wild Thing’
Salvia pachyphylla (Mojave Sage)
Salvia pachyphylla (Mojave Sage)
Saponaria x lempergii ‘Max Frei’
Scabiosa caucasica (Pincushion Flower)
Scrophularia macrantha (Red Birds in a Tree)
Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese Skullcap)
Scutellaria suffrutescens (Cherry Skullcap)
Sedum (Stonecrop), many species & cultivars
Seseli gummiferum (Moon Carrot)
Solidago (Goldenrod), species & cultivars
Sphaeralcea fendleri (Tall Globemallow)
Spirea sp. (Summer-blooming Spirea)
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ears)
Stachys monnieri ‘Hummelo’
Teucrium chamaedrys (Wall Germander)
Teucrium ‘Harlequin’s Silver’ w bee
Teucrium sp. ‘Harlequin’s Silver’
Teucrium cossonii
Thelesperma filifolia (Navajo Tea, Greenthread)
Teucrium hyrcanicum ‘Purple Tails’
Teucrium rotundifolium
Valeriana officinalis (Valerian)
Verbena bonariensis (Cluster-top Verbena)
Verbena bipinnatifida (Prairie Verbena)
Verbena ‘Red Devil’
Verbena stricta
Verbena wrightii
Zauschneria g.Orange Carpet (Hummingbird Mint)
Zinnia grandiflora (Prairie Zinnia)